Chief's Brief

[Chief00]

Walton had some great observations and some other ones.
- Again our strength and conditioning program gets beat and Bill mentioned how Oregon guys looked strong - we don't pass the eye test compared to our opponents and it impacts rebounding. Durham actually shows he knows the game but man he has got to get stronger and more explosive with his knees.
- Walton nailed our lack of urgency once again to start the game. Whatever KO is doing it needs to change - but this is ultimately up to the players.
- The two key injuries are tough - looks like both are done for the season - plus Diarra. Who would have thought Vitale would be the key newcomer?
- Still no scoring on inbounds plays - a win is throwing it successfully into the backcourt. I don't understand that - at every level quite frankly you should get some scoring opportunities on inbounds plays.
- Adams, once he got going was a bright spot. He can play and if he reduces turnovers and ups his leadership from the tip off - he will be real special.
- They kilked us on the offensive boards - too many second effort points despite shooting real well the first shot.
- Why we don't identify and go after good shooters is a mystery - we leave guys who are killing us wide open up all game long.
- What do we love about lazy cross court passs ?

 

[Kitaman]

I'd love to know what they practice on.

• I see passing around the perimeter then hoist a shot.
• I see lack of rebound positioning/boxing out
• I see soft passes even telegraphed
• I see shooters left open
• I see only 2 pointers on drives but not on mid range jumpers
• I see no effort to establish an inside/out offense set play
• I see no offensive sets or plays being called by our guard(s)
• I see no pick and rolls

I'll stop there. I'm no coach or expert but I am amazed at the discipline and designs of opponents offenses when compared to ours. I know we are shorthanded and perhaps we have to reinvent our offense but my eye test sees something like 'organized chaos'.

 

[UConnJim]

I'd love to know what they practice on.

• I see passing around the perimeter then hoist a shot.
• I see lack of rebound positioning/boxing out
• I see soft passes even telegraphed
• I see shooters left open
• I see only 2 pointers on drives but not on mid range jumpers
• I see no effort to establish an inside/out offense set play
• I see no offensive sets or plays being called by our guard(s)
• I see no pick and rolls

I'll stop there. I'm no coach or expert but I am amazed at the discipline and designs of opponents offenses when compared to ours. I know we are shorthanded and perhaps we have to reinvent our offense but my eye test sees something like 'organized chaos'.

You get organized chaos when you have bigs that can't catch, pass, or rebound, three seniors that are not top level players, a bunch of young players, and key injuries. You can not expect to see a well oiled machine with this group. The offense and defense has to evolve, especially after losing 2 starters one of which one was the PG.

 

[Chief00]

I try to look for a positive - maybe all this misfortune has made Adams step up sooner than he naturally would have stepped up.

Our inability to develop Bigs has been a concern of mine - and it really needs to be addressed with new Bigs and Strength coaches after this season. Enough is enough.

 

[mauconnfan]

I try to look for a positive - maybe all this misfortune has made Adams step up sooner than he naturally would have stepped up.

Our inability to develop Bigs has been a concern of mine - and it really needs to be addressed with new Bigs and Strength coaches after this season. Enough is enough.

Is it the "big mans coach" or the "strength and conditioning coach"??? I mean Facey and Brimah are both much stronger than when they came in - how's that working for them? I just hate redundant BS without looking att he facts, these kids have zero, count that on less than one hand, zero basketball IQ and obviously very little coaching prior to admittance. It seems to be the same with Steve for now, you just can't teach kids who don't get it. They don't period, the blame is not on the big mans coach it's on the HC who recruited these kids knowingly they weren't coachable. If Bonzie Colson came here you would applaud the big mans coach because he went to ND knowing how to play basketball. We need more of those guys and less Brimah's, Facey's and Enochs. Our staff needs to find the smart guys who can learn and transition it onto the court within a couple years.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

With the freshmen, their lack of strength can be excused due to their age and time within the program. With Brimah and Facey on the other hand, I don't think there is a lack of strength but I do believe neither really knows how to use their strength effectively.

We need better big man coaching desperately.

We also need far better perimeter defense but that is a different issue.

 

[Robertelamin]

The out of bounds plays are ridiculous. Obviously throwing it to the back court is necessary sometimes but the only other inbounds play is to throw essentially a jump ball to someone with a height advantage headed away from the hoop. And they don't even execute it that well. Throwing it to the backcourt feels like Diaco abandoning punt returns. It doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

 

[Chief00]

Is it the "big mans coach" or the "strength and conditioning coach"??? I mean Facey and Brimah are both much stronger than when they came in - how's that working for them? I just hate redundant BS without looking att he facts, these kids have zero, count that on less than one hand, zero basketball IQ and obviously very little coaching prior to admittance. It seems to be the same with Steve for now, you just can't teach kids who don't get it. They don't period, the blame is not on the big mans coach it's on the HC who recruited these kids knowingly they weren't coachable. If Bonzie Colson came here you would applaud the big mans coach because he went to ND knowing how to play basketball. We need more of those guys and less Brimah's, Facey's and Enochs. Our staff needs to find the smart guys who can learn and transition it onto the court within a couple years.

Recruiting is a collaborative effort with both the Head and Assistant Coaches. Clyde was the lead recruiter on Charlie, Bynum (although he decided to skip UConn to NBA) and Josh as I recall, etc. Glen needs to step up and do that so be doesn't have excuses. I also don't agree Brimah and Facey are a lot stronger - Walton commented how much time Brimah spent being knocked on the floor. Neither guy is strong enough to hold rebounding position - and that needs to be minimum requirement. To me after a few years the excuses run out. Your job is to make it happen. Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[mauconnfan]

Recruiting is a collaborative effort with both the Head and Assistant Coaches. Clyde was the lead recruiter on Charlie, Bynum (although he decided to skip UConn to NBA) and Josh as I recall, etc. Glen needs to step up and do that so be doesn't have excuses. I also don't agree Brimah and Facey are a lot stronger - Walton commented how much time Brimah spent being knocked on the floor. Neither guy is strong enough to hold rebounding position - and that needs to be minimum requirement. To me after a few years the excuses run out. Your job is to make it happen. Happy Thanksgiving.

They're plenty strong enough to hold position, just have to read it before the guy near you and understand how to box. Again being knocked on the ground why? No base due to space of the feet and not reading the shot or the rebound. This isn't anything that's ever been forgotten in a practice I promise, but it's never been absorbed is all, simple!

 

[Mr. French]

I'd love to know what they practice on.

• I see passing around the perimeter then hoist a shot.
• I see lack of rebound positioning/boxing out
• I see soft passes even telegraphed
• I see shooters left open
• I see only 2 pointers on drives but not on mid range jumpers
• I see no effort to establish an inside/out offense set play
• I see no offensive sets or plays being called by our guard(s)
• I see no pick and rolls

I'll stop there. I'm no coach or expert but I am amazed at the discipline and designs of opponents offenses when compared to ours. I know we are shorthanded and perhaps we have to reinvent our offense but my eye test sees something like 'organized chaos'.

I am a coach, albeit not at this level...but it disturbs me as well that it appears nothing is being taught fundamentally.

That says (a) they aren't coaching it properly, whether that means they don't focus on it or don't hold players accountable, or (b) the players aren't listening, in which case it also means part 2 of (a) is true.

In either case, they aren't doing enough to force the players to do the right things.

The hope is that the players haven't gotten it yet, but it IS being hammered in practice and by January this team clicks.

 

[Mr. French]

Btw, Chief00 this is the first time in awhile I've agreed with your entire post, basically.

 

[Chief00]

Btw, Chief00 this is the first time in awhile I've agreed with your entire post, basically.

Thanks Mr French - glad you agree but of course that can't be my goal. Quite frankly, Chief00 gives it straight - I don't expect the casual fan or even some experts to see the game as I do. You hear basketball folks talk about how the game can slow down - it's hard to explain to those who the game doesn't slow down to. How can everyone be running so fast but the game in someone's mind slows down? - I think I have an answer to that but I will save it for another time.

 

[mauconnfan]

I am a coach, albeit not at this level...but it disturbs me as well that it appears nothing is being taught fundamentally.

That says (a) they aren't coaching it properly, whether that means they don't focus on it or don't hold players accountable, or (b) the players aren't listening, in which case it also means part 2 of (a) is true.

In either case, they aren't doing enough to force the players to do the right things.

The hope is that the players haven't gotten it yet, but it IS being hammered in practice and by January this team clicks.

I must admit for a coach I am very surprised you can't decipher between coachable talent and people with basically no clue for 4 years. So while we watch Amida, Kentan and now even Steve you honestly believe they've taught them nothing at all? I mean anyone with any clue of the game improves on their own never mind with a D1 coach. I saw KO and HS coaches at a couple weeks of camps and they were teaching young kids who are just learning and they were diving into fundamentals. My son came away a week later, smart kid already, having learned some new stuff which he took to the court immediately. But these 17-18-19-20 year olds are getting nothing because the coaches don't drive fundamentals? You've got to be kidding me and to be honest if Amida Brimah or Rodney eve ndon't have the fundamentals by now they're NEVER going to. So while Vance Jackson and Vital seem to be improving game to game, it can't be the coaches now can it? They must have been taught all of this well ahead of this summer I get it.

Again, blame the staff for recruiting guys less coachable than others but not for not trying to drive the fundamentals and the techniques to play basketball the right way. It's pathetic.

 

[Mr. French]

I must admit for a coach I am very surprised you can't decipher between coachable talent and people with basically no clue for 4 years. So while we watch Amida, Kentan and now even Steve you honestly believe they've taught them nothing at all? I mean anyone with any clue of the game improves on their own never mind with a D1 coach. I saw KO and HS coaches at a couple weeks of camps and they were teaching young kids who are just learning and they were diving into fundamentals. My son came away a week later, smart kid already, having learned some new stuff which he took to the court immediately. But these 17-18-19-20 year olds are getting nothing because the coaches don't drive fundamentals? You've got to be kidding me and to be honest if Amida Brimah or Rodney eve ndon't have the fundamentals by now they're NEVER going to. So while Vance Jackson and Vital seem to be improving game to game, it can't be the coaches now can it? They must have been taught all of this well ahead of this summer I get it.

Again, blame the staff for recruiting guys less coachable than others but not for not trying to drive the fundamentals and the techniques to play basketball the right way. It's pathetic.

I mean, I basically agree with you.

What I'm trying to say is, at this level there's almost no way they aren't telling them/teaching them certain things...that they aren't consistently doing in the games.

What I'm saying is that there is a disconnect there, so no one can know if that's on the players or coaches specifically, but clearly it's on both parties to some degree.

With the dumb things some players do, after 3-4 years, of course that's on them to change it. But it's also always on a coach to reach the players. If it becomes an issue with EVERY PLAYER, that IS a coaching issue, whether they're teaching the right stuff or not. Because they clearly aren't getting the points home.

But in that light, I haven't turned on this season or the coaches, because I know its possible for the light to turn on at some point and the whole team suddenly "gets" it.

 

[Kitaman]

I try to look for a positive - maybe all this misfortune has made Adams step up sooner than he naturally would have stepped up.

Our inability to develop Bigs has been a concern of mine - and it really needs to be addressed with new Bigs and Strength coaches after this season. Enough is enough.

So Chief were can we get a big coach like this?

 

[pnow15]

They're plenty strong enough to hold position, just have to read it before the guy near you and understand how to box. Again being knocked on the ground why? No base due to space of the feet and not reading the shot or the rebound. This isn't anything that's ever been forgotten in a practice I promise, but it's never been absorbed is all, simple!

They are plenty strong enough to hold position. Brimah holds his position against Facey 78% of the time. It is when the other team's players get involved that things start to get complicated.

 

[August_West]

Thanks Mr French - glad you agree but of course that can't be my goal. Quite frankly, Chief00 gives it straight - I don't expect the casual fan or even some experts to see the game as I do. You hear basketball folks talk about how the game can slow down - it's hard to explain to those who the game doesn't slow down to. How can everyone be running so fast but the game in someone's mind slows down? - I think I have an answer to that but I will save it for another time.

::subscribed::

 

[Chief00]

So Chief were can we get a big coach like this?

Nobody has ever had a better spin move in the post than The Dream. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Chief00]

So Chief were can we get a big coach like this?

Rasheed Wallace helped out Drummond a lot in his rookie year. There are dudes around that can do it.